NEWARK, N.J., Sept. 8, 2015 –– Engineering consulting firm GeoDesign Inc. has leased 3,000 square feet of office space at The Berger Organization’s Military Park Building, located at 60 Park Place in Newark. The landmark 250,000-square-foot office tower is situated in the heart of the City’s central business district.

GeoDesign Inc. is headquartered in Middlebury, Conn. and has additional offices in Vermont and New York. Since its inception, GeoDesign Inc. has served as a consultant for hundreds of projects, including commercial/industrial buildings, high-rise buildings, healthcare facilities, public and private schools, highways, bridges, dams and levees, among others.

“We selected the Military Park Building based on the suite layout and size, building location, reasonable cost, high occupancy rate, and the fact that the Berger Organization manages their own buildings,” said Thomas Thomann, PhD, PE, GeoDesign Incorporated PC. “They have been very responsive to our needs and expedited the fit out so that our office could get up and running quickly.”

The lease commitment is the latest in a series of new leases and renewals at 60 Park Place. Earlier this year, the Newark Downtown District (NDD) – a privately funded 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization dedicated to revitalizing downtown Newark – leased 11,400 square feet of space, relocating from its previous location in downtown Newark. When NDD moves to 60 Park Place in September, it will occupy the entire 5,000-square-foot 21st floor, as well as a 1,400-square-foot space off the lobby and a 5,000-square-foot basement space.

“We created a search committee, and after looking at several other properties it was determined that 60 Park Place best suited our current – and future – requirements,” said Anthony McMillan, CEO of NDD. “As a non-profit organization we have to be financially responsible, and aside from its charm and on-site amenities, 60 Park Place was a very cost-effective choice,” he said.

McMillanalso was impressed with the way 60 Park Place is managed. “(The Berger Organization’s Chairman and CEO) Miles Berger is very cognizant of the work we provide to the community and he – and his entire staff – has been a joy to work with. They have made the entire process as seamless as possible, and we look forward to moving into our new office space this fall.”

“We are pleased to welcome these new tenants to 60 Park Place,” said Brendan Berger, vice-president of The Berger Organization. “For its price point, 60 Park Place arguably is one of the nicest office buildings in Newark in terms of its physicality, location, on-site amenities and services. The building’s manager, Sam Bacchus, does an excellent job of maintaining the building and developing personal relationships with tenants. There’s a real sense of community that exists among those who work in this building.”

Tenants of the 21-story office tower enjoy on-site parking, an attended lobby, a fitness center, conference facilities, and on-site ownership and management. The Military Park Building offers commanding views of the surrounding city, New York skyline and Military Park, where a multimillion-dollar redevelopment recently was completed. The property is in proximity to Newark Liberty International Airport and many major thoroughfares. It is within walking distance to the New Jersey Performing Arts Center and Penn Station, which provides 20-minute NJ Transit and PATH service to midtown and downtown Manhattan.

The Berger Organization, a privately owned diversified real estate owner/manager, has been involved in the Newark office and hospitality market for nearly four decades. The company purchased its first property there, the Newark Holiday Inn, on March 3, 1976, from New England Mutual Insurance Co. Since then, its principals’ deep appreciation for Newark’s rich history and personal, unwavering commitments to restoring New Jersey’s largest city to its past brilliance have led to concentrated real estate acquisitions and the employment of more than 300 local residents.